The Tip
"The Tip" is the first episode of the second season and the ninth overall episode of the HBO television series Oz. ' Theme The theme is centered around '''blame'. This is centered on many prisoners and staff members mainly blames each other for the start of the riot, mainly based upon their actions prior to the riot. Summary Following the aftermath of the riot, Devlin starts an inquiry to investigate the causes of starting the riot. Law school dean, Alvah Case, is hired by Devlin to lead the investigation. Plot Augustus Hill explains the aftermath of the riot. He explains that two correctional officers and six inmates were killed from gunfire while thirty-four others were injured. Some were injured by tear gas, as Father Mukada views himself in the mirror with bandages on him. Some were injured from beatings, as Kareem Said is viciously beaten by surviving correctional officers. Others were injured from gunshot wounds, Tim McManus is among them and he is transferred to the prison hospital for a severe gunshot wound to the shoulder. Remaining prisoners are transferred to general population, which later becomes overcrowded while riot leaders (Kareem Said, Ryan O'Reily and Simon Adebisi) are put into solitary confinement. Augustus makes a sarcastic remark about peace descending into Oz, which instead erupted into violence and consequences. Devlin is encountered by news media and gives his explanation of an upcoming investigation as he is escorted to Glynn's office. In the office, Alvah Case justifies Devlin's actions of the start of the riot, jocularly remarking of Devlin's guilt. As Warden Glynn arrives, Case makes a remark as if Glynn had started the riot. Glynn denies and makes a joking remark. Alvah Case walks into the general population area, where he walks past Tobias Beecher who is being escorted into a prison cell. Beecher, Bob Rebadow and an unnamed prisoner are put into the same cell with James Robson. Robson is immediately hostile and warns Rebadow and Beecher about his bunk bed. Rebadow says he understands but Beecher reacts in a joking manner. When each of the prisoners and Augustus Hill start to talk, Rebadow warns them to stop. A frustrated Robson then hits Beecher to convince him to shut him up. Meanwhile, Kenny Wangler, who is suffering from heroin withdrawl, yelps loud words. A prisoner tries to tell him to stop, but Wangler attempts to chokehold him and another cellmate beats him. Correctional officers Vic D'Agnasti and another arrive to break up the fight, with D'Agnasti beating Wangler senseless without reason. In the cafeteria, a memorial service is held for the two correctional officers and six prisoners who were killed during the riot, alongside recoveries of many staff members. Flashbacks are viewed such as Devlin's refusal to accept the prisoners' demands and also Wittlesey helping an injured McManus during the S.O.R.T. assault. Alvah Case visits McManus in the hospital, questioning McManus about as if Emerald City is ever to be opened. Case then goes to interview the confined, bruised Kareem Said in solitary confinement. Case explains that he had heard of Said attempting to recruit inmates into converting to Islam and also questions Said of guilt of the correctional system. Said gives his answer that Devlin is mainly responsible for the instigation of the starting riot. Case switches to interview Simon Adebisi. Case changes his mind upon seeing Adebisi, who is suffering a heroin withdrawl and asks Case if he wants to "lick his balls." At a press conference, Case explains the behaviors of the inmates and staff members and that many members of his unit are assigned to investigate furthermore. Augustus Hill is interviewed by Case and is asked what had led to the riots, which is led to a chain of clips from different perspective point-of-views from staff members and inmates of whom or what had started the riot - some blamed Devlin for denying and taken away rights from the prisoners such as conjugal visits and smoking; some blamed the correctional officers for physically abusing the inmates; some blamed the two inmates who had led the start of the riot from a game of checkers; some also blamed the Aryans and Muslims for paranoia and plot of the riot - while others described the end of the riot. Dr. Gloria Nathan examines x-ray vision files of inmates and prisoners and Case is motivated of finding who killed Scott Ross, as he was suspiciously shot in the forehead, heart and genitals. Augustus Hill narrates that curiosity was blamed of the deaths. Then, in solitary confinement, Adebisi's withdrawal worsens, which led to him to tear the mattress and pillows into feathers and cover most of the room with it, and covers himself in feathers and semen, which him notably drawing a smiley face. The S.O.R.T. team arrives to seemingly beat Adebisi into submission, but instead, they escort him out of solitary and go to the hospital. Case explains to Glynn that Scott Ross may had been murdered from a 9mm pistol deliberately, instead of bullets from the rifles carried by the S.O.R.T. team. Glynn believes that it wasn't murder at all, but this prompts Case into furthermore explaining the shooting was execution-style. Case later interviews a S.O.R.T. team member who had his gun stolen from his holster and was used to murder Ross. The member explains that he didn't kill Ross but it "disappeared" from his holster. Case promptly berates the member to furthermore create an explanation. The member now gives his explanation - he blames the inmates for the riot as he is indifferent to the inmates and insults them and believes that they are "low-life scumbags", showing no sympathy for any of the prisoners. Having enough, Case then excuses him. Wangler still suffers the withdrawal and needs "tits" as he talks to Augustus Hill. Beecher is asleep and Robson wakes him up, trying to force him to give him oral sex. Beecher refuses, so Robson hits him enough to convince him. Beecher reluctantly performs fellatio on Robson, which suddenly awakens Rebadow. As Robson softly moans, he then screams in severe pain, which awakens the other prisoners including Vernon Schillinger. It is revealed that Beecher had bitten off the tip of his penis, and spits out the pieces. Robson is transferred into the prison hospital, bleeding heavily and screaming in agony. A naked Beecher is then put into solitary confinement, and spits out more of Robson's penis, coldly glaring at the guards as he does so. Narrations Oz. The name on the street for Oswald Maximum Security Penitentiary. Oz, where after months of tension, a riot erupted. The unit known as Emerald City was overtaken by it's prisoners. The Governor ordered his troops to recapture it, by any means necessary. When the smoke cleared, literally, 6 prisoners and 2 correctional officers were dead. 34 others were injured. Some overcome by the gas. Some from the beatings. Some from rifle wounds. Among those shot, Tim McManus, who invented Emerald City and some say, ran it into the ground. The rest of the prisoners were moved to gen-pop. Except for the riot leaders, who were drop kicked into solitary. By dawn, peace descended on Oz. Yeah, right. Blame is a beautiful thing, baby. Blame keeps this whole planet spinning. You can point your finger at the next man, you can shift the weight onto him, you don't have to carry that shit around yourself. You can slide into bed and get a good night's nap. Yeah, right. They say "curiosity killed the cat". What the fuck was the cat so curious about that got him killed? Solitary sucks, man. But if you really want some company, you just gotta go through withdrawal. In all that chaos, what a perfect chance to off Ross and get away with it, scot-free. I never lie. Not because I'm so honest, but because I have a bad memory. And you can't be a good liar if you got a bad memory. You ask most people, and they'll tell you lying is wrong. And then immediately go out and lie like a motherfucker. But that's cool. We all know lies are necessary. They also say "if you repeat a lie often enough, it becomes the truth". Or at least, you convince yourself it's the fucking gospel. So, as it turns out, no one was to blame for the riot. In fact, if no one was to blame, that means nothing bad happened. Nothing at ALL happened. So, life can pretty much go on as it has before. Yeah, right. Deceased (There were no deaths during this episode) Crime Flashbacks (There were no flashbacks during this episode) Production Transcript Category:Episodes Category:Season 2 episodes